Cognitive Abilities (or Inabilities)
 

I've got the typical MS cognative problems.....word recall, keeping up with multiple conversations, etc. But has anyone experienced physical problems related to cognative issues? Here's an example: When I was driving (I'm not now due to this episode of ON) I'd get to my destination and have to really think about the order in which to do things to exit my car. Put the car in park, turn off either the A/C or heater.....depending on the weather, turn the car off, put the emergency brake up, take the keys out of the ignition, gather up my cane, purse and anything else I was taking with me, open the door and get out. Seems simple enough, huh?

Well, I'd turn the radio ON, try to turn the car off before putting it in park, forget to set the emergency brake.......it's like I know what to do but the tasks get scrambled up in my head.

It's very aggravating, even when I'm alone but I did it once when DS was with me. He didn't need to say anything. The look on his face said it all. :(

Just wondering if I'm alone in my confusion or if others have similar issues. I hope you don't.....but it'd be nice to know I'm not alone. :o

I know whereof you speak:(
I do the same thing... It's the processing difficulties.trying to think of tasks in order sometimes is like looking at a bunch of puzzle pieces and not knowing where to begin...

Kelly, you are not alone in that one. I find that repetitive actions I have done for years, now require me to step through them slower and with more attention.

SO far the car I can handle... I think driving a stick shift for so long taught me to concentrate closer on my driving and car operations. It's stuff in the kitchen that has me worried. I no longer use my stove. Most of our meals are cooked in the NuWave oven which has a timer. In the bathroom, it is forgetting I just sprayed cleaner on the shower walls. The next person getting in the shower usually slips and slides around because the stuff is still on the floor! OH and leaving wet clothes in the washing machine until they stink to high heaven! I'm learning to use reminder timers!! :o

I am currently in the middle of a nice flare that includes a major cognitive dysfunction. I cant walk and chew gum at the same time. I have stopped driving when I am anywhere near a flare, because I wouldnt be able to trust to put it in gear, or park. I cant answer email, and hear the playing TV at the same time.

Long after my DH is in the house, I am still in the car, making sure the phone is unplugged, the Ipod is off, and in my bag, the GPS is off, and in my bag, I have picked up whatever I dragged with me, and so on. it takes me 10 times as long to do the simplest of tasks.

I hate this disease!

ugh...I feel for you Kel...I hate this particular thing.

I was once at an open house for my ds...probably four years ago. I
had to go to room 227...but when I looked at the signs, one said rooms
199-211 this way and the other 211-232 that way. I couldnt figure out
which way was 227.:o:(

So much for all the advanced math in my past.:(:eek:

hugs to you Kel...this stinks!:hug:

Thanks, ya'll. I hate it that all of you have to deal with this, too.

Sox, I know exactly what you mean. I can look at something and know that I should know what it says or understand what it means.....but I have to really concentrate and it still takes me a few seconds before I comprehend.

I was in the grocery store and saw a sign for the lottery. It said GA LOTTO. When I first looked at it I couldn't figure out what it said. It may as well have been written in cryptic letters. I kept looking at it.....trying to make sense of it.....and finally it just "took". I don't know why or how but it finally made sense to my brain. That was the scariest cognitive incident I've had since being dx. :(

If I walk away from it, it ceases to exist. Now, I try to stand by the door when I've let the dogs out. Too cold to forget them, out having a potty.

:o

Oh, Brain, I can relate to this!! I put a pot of water on to boil to make sweet tea and totally forgot it! :eek: Wanna know what caused me to go back in the kitchen? The smell of a dry pot on a gas stove flame!

I have since gotten a LOUD timer that I set whenever I use the stove or oven. I use the timer on the stove, too, but it's not near as loud as the one that is portable.

Now my concern is that I will forget to set the timer!! :eek:

I have the house full of *Post-its* and a loud timer too. Since my hearing is not good do to constant ringing or hissing I have a hard time hearing the teapot too Kitty.

It whistles but I only hear it if in the room. If in the bathroom I don't even hear the phone. I used to hear things before the dog did, not anymore.

As for cognitive problems, they are awful when I relapse. Word recall, spelling and, I can't have multiple items making noise when I am trying to do things like my bill paying. I mess them up. The electric company could get a check meant for the gas company. Oh the fun! :hug:

Kelly, Every part of this stupid disease stinks... It's not fair... I am sorry for your cognitive issues you are having. It's impossible to have a cognitive issue without it affectiving you physically and visa versa.

Hang in there..... as if that will help...ha.... but maybe tomorrow will seem brighter! I hope!

I have lists and instructions on the kitchen cupboard that help me remember. I have three notebooks at hand, one in each room to jot stuff down.
My fast approaching overseas trip is planned and listed with clinical precision with notes and papers in abundance.
I remind myself to get my head IN the car before shutting the door :mad:
When trying to do (very) novice dressage on my horse, I talk my way through it and hope he understands me 'cos getting hands and legs and seat working at the same time is nigh on impossible. If he doesn't get it, I pretend we were trying to do something else. :o
On the way to a recent Beta night, I drove past the conference centre, read the building name and somehow convinced myself there would be another building with the same name further down the road. I was looking for 199 and as the street numbers got smaller, it still took me a few Km's to work out that actually 199 was before 13, 11, 9 ...

BUT, the GOOD news guys.....!!!!!! NONE of this is caused by MS don't you know????????

Honest, my neuro/carp doctor told me so.

'It can't possibly be an MS issue as these things don't develop until WAY down the line. So if you're well enough to drive, you can also work and concentrate and carry on as normal. Just try to forget about it and carry on as you were'. :mf_swordfight:

I drove home once without remembering how. I remember leaving the building and entering my front door, but nothing in between. I haven't driven but once since Sept. and that was because my DH was drinking.

I sometimes feel very disoriented when driving, like I'm just learning to drive and I'm not sure where I need to go. It is like being in a different town, but I grew up here, I know where most things are, so why do I feel like I've only been here once or twice?

Tonight I made shrimp alfredo with liguini...I almost put in sugar rather than butter for the cream sauce. I don't use a pre-mixed sauce, I make mine from cream. The containers are both yellow, but still, the butter was sitting right in front, when I opened the top, I dipped out the sugar. I caught myself this time, but there have been times I really should not be cooking.

Strange as it is...Thanksgiving...no problems. I cooked for fifteen people...butterbeans, peas, turkey, ham, dressing, dumplings, ambrosia, tira misu, pecan pie, bananna pudding, etc.

Other times, I can't boil water...and no its not an 'age' thing...lol

I get it...I truly do.

When my friend Julie found out what I had done to the water I put on the stove and then forgot she said....."you know, you're the only person I've ever known who could burn water". :o :D

I had a neuropsych evaluation at the end of a bad relapse a few years ago.
I was NOT happy with the psych's comments, but the actual testing results spoke for themselves and confirmed what I was telling my then neuro.
I was in big trouble as far as recognition, organization, memory, concentration, retention and attention.
The test results don't lie. It was bad enough that I could have applied for SSDI and got it on the first try!
Fortunately, I recovered most of it or learned to (i am word searching here for the correct word! Is it cope or substitute or relearned or what???) for the rest of what I lost.

SEE? :mad:

COMPENSATE!!

Before I read your final answer, River, I was saying Compensate. :D I am always searching for a word.

I'm afraid that's whats happening to me at work! I work for a lawyer, and he keeps catching things that I've forgotten to do, but I swear I did. I can even "remember" doing things, that upon evidence, have NOT been done, or vice versa. I've done things, but do not remember doing them, or so it seems. Like saving a document after changes have been made, then emailing it to god and everybody, only to have my boss print the emailed doc in my face and ask me why did I send the incorrect do, didn't I make these changes? I absolutely don't know what happened. And its not the first time! I am so scared I'm not going to be able to hold this job for another year, let alone, ten (which was my hope).

You get a cookie. I didn't get it until I read the word Compensate at the bottom.

Everything is a thingy or a whachamacallit, and everyone is whatshername.

And it stinks, cuz I'm writing a lot (stories) sitting here yelling at myself "UGH!!! You know that word!" And the dogs are looking at me like
:confused:

Because of all these problems, which I have also, do you find yourself not as sociable as you used to be, I'm okay with the people that know me, most of the time, but others, like strangers, I don't want to be around, my DH sometimes calls me unsociable, but then I think what the heck, these people won't remember me anyway and really don't care. If I embarrasse myself, well it just happens. I probably don't even make sense writing this.

You make lots of sense. :)

I've found myself thinking twice before approaching someone new. I'm pretty sociable in casual situations. Like, in the grocery store I'll talk to just about anyone. There aren't many formal situations I'm forced into.

Since I'm home alone most of the time I've gotten sort of used to being by myself. I do talk to my cats....:o.

I talk to myself, constantly--at work, at the store, in the car. The scary part is, sometimes I hear someone talking to me, but no one is there:eek:...guess its "phantom noises" and a problem with my hearing. So far I haven't answered the voices.:D

between my bad vision and my cognitive dysfunction, by the time I finish reading the instructions, I forgot why I started reading them in the first place! :o